Outlet box connecter



June 16, 1 J. M. G. FULLMAN OUTLET BOX CONNECTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18, 1930 INVENTOR June 16, 1931. J. M. G. FULLMAN OUTLET Box CONNEGTER Filed April 18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 444. {x W Patented June 16, 1931" V NITE JAMES ML G. VFULLMAN, E siawiciznny;PEn'NsYL ANIA, Assis -roste gamma ELECTRIQ rnonncrs CORPORATION, A conronnrion on DELAWARE ouriinr. sex

Application filed Aprii In the accompanying drawings Figure 1' is a plan viewof an uncovered 'outlet box equipped with connecters embodyingthe invention in its preferred form. Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line lI-II of Figure 1. 'FigureB is a sectional elevation talien'on the line IIIIII-ofFig ure 1. Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line IV IV*of Figure 2. Figures 5, 6 and 7 are sectional elevations alltaken on the line V-V'of Figure 1, but showing different conditions. Figure 8 is a sectional elevation taken on the line VIII VIII of igj ure 1. F igure'9is an elevation of aiparti tionrnember which is preferably included in the organization shown. Figures 10 and-11 are horizontal sections taken onthedih'ej X--X of Figure '3, Figure 10 showing in plana pair'of cables inserted th'roughthe-J side wall 'of the box, and Figure 11 showing 7 in section a pair ofcables' insertedthrough' means are provided forcausing'fthe clampingthe floor of the box. For the purpose of better illustration, Figures 2, 4, '5, 6, 7 ,}8'and 9 are drawn on a larger scale thanFig'ures l; 3,10 and 11.

'Ihebody of thebox, shown only co'nven tionally, comprises the floor I and peripheral side walls 2, thereb eingin the floor on opposite sides of the box pairs of adjacent aligned knock-out openings 3, 3,,and inthe side walls, near the floor and in alignment with the res ective fiooropenings, the pairs of side knoc -out openings (4, 4:. One of the objects of the present invention is to-providei an individual grip orclamping-inember sup ported and operated by means altogether located within the box, and insinall space, by means of which a cable inserted through either a floor-opening or a side opening aligned in the same verticalJ-plane'may be secured firmly; in place. For that purpose member to travel in a line which-is inclined with respect to the cable, and theclampingmember is Ofsuchform as to enable it to en:

gage thecable projected in either direction, whileauxiliary -me-ans are also provided for guiding and retaining'the clamping meinberin its operative line oftravel, thus imparting rigidity in "a marked degree to the structure pieinental ears connects-R 1930: Serial m.- 445,349.

as"a wl10le. WVhen, as is preferred, an in not project'through the box wall, :norneed there be provided any seat or support for its 'tip,since' it is held iniproper position by the seat provided for its head within the boxin conjunction with the auxiliary clamp-guide above mentioned a "As a means for supporting the individua clamp-actuating screws and for guiding the indiv dualclamping nembers in their respev tive lines of travel, I prefer to e nploya hous '1ng5 of general rectilinear form having a top-Wall- 6,-a side-wall 7, and opposite endwalls 8, Thisihousing' may be securedto ,the boxiwalls by any suitable means; I prefer tof employiforthat purpose a partition p'late9. (Figure9), which will serve to-cen trally divide the space within the housing into two compartments 10 and'll, said plate 9 having at itslower outer corner and atits upper innercorner the ears l2, whicharev passed through slots 18 in the lower corner of thebox; and the upper corner of the housing respectively andare riveted in place as'shown in Figure 8. ;Tl1e plate 9 may also have sup 14: engaging slots 15 in the housingr VI c I Openings 16, 16 for the passage ofthe cable conductors are formed int-he top-wall 6 of the i housing in alignment with the floor'openings 3, 3 and openingsslfi, 17 in the sidewall 76f the housingin aligninentwith the side-openings 4, 4. Thus each compartment of the housing iis provided with a pair of aligned horizontal bottom and top cable openings 3 and 16, and aligned vertical side cable open: ingsxi and l7, the centersof all four of said openings lying; substantially inthe sanie' vertical plane. 5 Theedgesof the openings 16 and 17 arepreferably.rounded or hushed in the'usual Way. V

In the upper end corner of each comparta ment, that is tosajgb'etweeh the line of the cable-openings andthe endwall 8, thereis forin-edan inclined' seat 19"forthe head 20 ofthescrew 121, the threaded shank "22 of i which projects through the unthreaded hole 23 inthe seat in an inclined position at or mp;

proximating an angle of forty-five degrees to the axis of a cable projected either horizontally or vertically through the compartment. The tip of the screw projects suificiently beyond the line of passage of a cable in either direction toaflord space for it to carry the clamping-member in its inactive or retracted position as to be explained presently and as shown in Figure 5. A washer 33 is compressed around the screw 21 immediately below the seat to retain the screw in place while the box is being handled. In the end-wall 8 of each compartment there is formed a guide, preferably such as the open slot 24, which is inclined at or approximating an angle of forty-five degrees to the axis of a cable projected either horizontally or vertically through the compartment.

The clamping-member 25 in its preferred form is shown in plan view in Figure 4. It is an internally threaded nut of generally triangular form having a rearwardly and upwardly projecting tail-piece 26 which lies in the slot 24. The tail-piece 26 is preferably of the dove-tail form shown, and it will be observed that the slot 24 is open at its lower end, so that the nut may be easily threaded upon the shank 22 of the screw 21 with the tail-piece in engagement with said slot. The edges of the opposite wings of the nut are in the form of segmental notches 27 of such radius as to approximate the radius of one of the knockout-openings 3 or 4, and to grip the surface of the cable projected through a knockout-opening, the surface of the nut being dished inwardly and upwardly from the ed e 27, as indicated at 28.

ince the nut is held from turning by means of the tail-piece 26 engaging the slot 24 in the wall 8, the turning of the screw 21 will cause the nut to travel diagonally up and down upon the screw, so that in the upward movement of the nut one or the other of the segmental edges 27 will engage the surface ofa cable projected through either a floor opening 3 or the corresponding side opening 4, and will clamp the cable firmly in place. Referring, for example, to Figure 5 of the drawings, there is shown a cable projected through one of the side openings 4, and the nut in inactive lowermost position. In Figure 6 the same organization is shown, with the nut drawn upwardly and engaging and clamping the cable in place. In Figure 7 there is shown a cable projected through the corresponding floor opening 3, and the nut drawn up and engaging the same.

In Figure 10 there are shown in elevation a pair of cables projected through a pair of adjacent side openings 4 in the wall of the box and clamped by nuts in their respective compartments. It will be observed that each cable is thus caused to bear against the inner edge of its knockout-opening 4 and against the partition 9, the latter holding the cable against undue bending or twisting. It should be mentioned that the openings 17 in the side wall 7 of the housing are somewhat smaller in size than are the knockout-openings 4, so that the cut-away sharp edge of the cable armor rests against the inner face of the side wall 7, and the unarmored conductors are passed through openings 17. In like manner there are shown in Figure 11 a pair of cables projected into the box upwardly through the floor knockouts 3, 3, and the engaging edges of the opposite nuts 25 clamp the cable tightly against the inner edges of the knockoutopenings and against the partition 9, as already stated.

Heretofore a single clamping-member having segmental notches has been employed to secure a pair of cables in an outlet-box, and in one position such clamping-member is arranged to grip both of the pair of cables inserted through a pair of knockout openings in the side wall, and in the other a pair inserted through the floor of the outlet-box. The clamping-member is provided with a centrally located threaded opening in engagement with a screw upon which it is caused to travel. Such structure is shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,638,510. In another commercial structure the double clamping-member has been an angle-bar traveling upon a centrally located diagonally arranged screw operating through a central threaded hole in the apex of the angle, and having twin cable-engaging notches in each wing, so that without changing the location of the clamping-member and screw a pair of cables in parallel relation projected through. either the side or the floor openings may be secured in place. Such structure is shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,772,241.

WVhile both of said structures are commercially practical, and have been used with success, they both present the difficulty that when used to grip a pair of cables considerable care is necessary in adjustment, and if used to grip only a single cable there is more or less tilting and consequent strain upon the clamping-member. Also the cables are often deflected from their proper course. Furthermore, there is great ditficulty experienced in adjusting either form of these clampingmembers to properly bond for grounding a pair of different sized cables, operated on by the same clamp. It often happens in practice that one cable has been clamped in place within an outlet-box, and that later it is desired to install an additional cable. In such event it is necessary first to loosen the clamp, releasing the first installed cable, in order to permit the installation of the second cable. Frequently the first intalled cable escapes from the clamp, or is so misplaced as to make the task dangerous to the worker. That is is objectionable.

. plastering has been completed, as has often been the case, manifestly, great additional expenses ensues. It may still further be mentioned that the clamp-moving screws in many of these structures in use to-day project tromthe outlet-boxes with which they r are associated. Such projection of screws By the present invention-the above' -mentioned difiiculties are avoided. There isfpro vided an individual clamping-member which can be operated to secure independently a cable projected through either a floor-openmg or a companion side-opening, and oper-' ating in conjunction with an opposite wall or walls located close to the opening, so that the cable is firmly clamped in place, while the clampingmembers are each easily adjusted, there are no members projecting through the box-wall, and a minimum of space is occupied withinthe box.

What I claim is: 7

1. The combination of an outlet-box for electrical conductors having a bottom-wall and a side walhof a partition fixed to and projecting inwardly and upwardly from said walls, an opening through each wall located at one side of said partition, a screw rotatably retained within said outlet-box, said screw being inclined inwardly and upwardly from the line of intersection of said walls, and a clamping-member mounted upon and in threaded engagement with said screw,

, whereby by turning said screw the. said clamping-member is caused to travel thereon and to engage a conductor inserted through either of said wall-openings and bind it laterally against said partition. c r

2. The combination with an electrical outlet-box having arranged side'-by-side a pair of wall openings for the passage of electrical conductors, of a housing within the. box

having opposite end walls arranged respectively on the opposite sides of said pair 0f box-wall openings, an intermediate partition between said box-wall openings, and an inner wall having openings arranged on opposite sides of said partition for the passage of said conductors, guides formed in said opposite end wallsv ofthe housing, a threaded screw rotatably mounted in said housing adjacent to each of said opposite end walls,anda

3. The combination with an electrical outlet-box having a peripheral side wallrand a fioor,a pair of openings for the passage of electrical conductors arranged side-by-side in said sidewall and a pair of like openings, an intermediate vertical partition beopenings, and an inner wall having'openings on opposite sides of said partition for the passage of' said conductors, inclined guides formed in said opposite end'walls of the tween the aligned pairs of side and floor housing, a correspondingly inclined threaded Y screwrotatably mounted in said housing adjacent to each-of said end walls, and a clamping-member in threaded engagement with eachscrew and intraveling engagement with the guide in the adjacent end wall of the housing, whereby on turning the screw its "associated clamping-member is caused to engage and tobind against said partition a conductor passed through either. the sidewall opening or the floor opening adjacent to said screw.

4. The combination with an electrical outlet-box having arranged side-by-side a pair of wall openings for the passage of electrical conductors, of a housing within the box' having an innerwall provided with openings for the passage of said conductors, a

slot in the box-wall and a slot in the housing lying in a common planepassing between said wall-openings, a partition in said housing also arranged between said'openings and having projections passing through said slots and bent inwardly to secure the housing in place, and means within the housing on opposite sides of said partition for binding against the opposite faces of said partition the conductorspassed through said respec-- tive wall openings. n 'In testimonywhereof'I have hereunto set my hand. i

I JAMES M. G. FULLMAN' clamping-member in threaded engagement with each screw and in traveling engagement with the guide in the adjacent end wall of the housing, whereby onturning the screw its associated clamping-member is caused to engage and tobind against said partition a conductor passed through the boX-wallopenting adjacent to said screw. 7 

